Belathan Anollis
Northshire Valley, Elwynn Forest |blood= |alias=*Belathan of Northshire *Father Belathan *The Returned |title= Lightsworn Bishop (formerly) Abbott (formerly) Grand Cleric of the Order of the Golden Law (formerly) |signature= |hidep= |race= Human |gender=Male |height= |hair=White |eyes=Blue |skin=Light |hidef= |family= |job= |house= |loyalty= *Alliance **Clerics of Northshire **Church of the Light **Argent Dawn *Order of the Golden Law (formerly) *Oathsworn }} Belathan Anollis of Northshire, more commonly referred as Father Belathan, was an aged bishop and the Grand Cleric of the Order of the Golden Law. After suffering severe injuries in battle during the First and Second War, Belathan settled back into Northshire Valley once southern Azeroth had been reclaimed by the Alliance, and helped to raise the war orphans while training new, younger clerics in the ways of the Light. After nearly eighty five years of dedication to serving the Light - Belathan was honored with the near equivilant of Sainthood by the Church of the Holy Light, one of a few to ever receive such a title before death. After a long journey through the spirit world, and after sacrificing himself to serve as a warden of the dead, he was granted a rebirth into the world of the living. Biography Early life Born into a faithful household, Belathan was whisked off to train in the ways of the Light at a very young age. Studying and praying beside the famed Alonsus Faol among many other bold names, Belathan would see the rise of great heroes though he himself would remain in the background for most of his years - always devout in his studies and supportive of his peers - he found a draw to helping those who struggled behind, rather than racing forward to great honors. The First War When the Orcish Horde of the First War raced through the Dark Portal, Belathan, like many clerics, rallied behind Alonsus Faol as he forged the Clerics of Northshire, an order of Light swinging clerics who sought to drove back the Horde beside the armies of Stormwind. Injured during the battles of the Grand Hamlet, Belathan and many others would retreat to Stormwind, and later escape by sea to Lordaeron under the guide of Alonsus, leaving behind his home and parents who would be slain by the orcs. The Second War As the Alliance armies slowly began to gather under the banner of Lordaeron, Belathan stayed close to his old friend Alonsus as he and his apprentice, Uther the Lightbringer founded Knights of the Silver Hand - making Belathan witness to yet another great moment in history. Racing south with the armies of the Alliance, Belathan found himself tending more to the injured than fighting the savage orcs, though he would be severely injured in a night raid, rendering him unfit to race forward on the battlefield once again. Tending to the injured, hearing the stories of all those who had fought in the wars, seeing the great heroes he knew growing up die on the battlefield, Belathan's view of the world warped, leaving him with a bold but scattered faith. Following the closing of the war, as the Horde were forced back through the Dark Portal, Belathan and Alonsus would return to Stormwind to help rebuild, reestablishing the Northshire Abbey and opening it once again as a place for young initiates to train - though Belathan, serving as Abbott for a short time, would also see to welcoming in war orphans and raising them as subjects of the Light - the next generation of clerics and Paladins. The Argent Dawn Remaining in Stormwind after the end of the Second War, Belathan saw little of the undead scourge that ravaged Lordaeron - but would make several short pilgrimages to aid the refugee camps and help aid the Silver Hand in their efforts. Upon the formation of the Argent Dawn, Belathan would spend several long months struggling to reclaim eastern Lordaeron beside them. Though quite old at that point, Belathan marched beside the Argent Dawn during the siege of Naxxramas and would remain outside defending the entrance during the siege. Having been honored as an official member of the Argent Dawn, Belathan would return to Stormwind once again and continue his quiet life of raising orphans and scolding hooligans. Bishop of the Church of Light Following the next few years, even during the War in Northrend, Belathan would remain in Stormwind, serving as councilor and cleric within the Cathedral of Light - even attaining the rank of Bishop. Residing in the Cathedral as a Bishop at the time, Belathan saw to aiding the defenders of the city and Cathedral during the Elemental invasion and also stood witness to Deathwing's attack on the city. Though he would not venture out to fight on the battlefield on either front during the Catalcysm, Belathan would see to tending to the injured returning heroes and laying bodies to rest. A rather dark time for him, it brought back many memories of the First and Second wars. At the end of the Cataclysm, Belathan was one of the top candidates to become the next Archbishop of the Church of the Holy Light, replacing Benedictus after his betrayal. However, Belathan declined the nomination as he felt was not worthy to lead the church. As the new southern islands appeared - Belathan remained rooted in place as the rest of the world scrambled to explore - and he instead returned to training younger initiates. It was at this time that he would be asked to join the Order of the Golden Law. Order of the Golden Law In his later years Belathan would be honored with the role of Grand Cleric within the Order of the Golden Law, a holy order rooted in the battle to drive evil from areas around Stormwind. This is a position he would hold till his passing nearly a year later. Having outlived many of his peers and surviving through several wars, it was obvious that the years had taken a toll on the cleric. In the weeks before his death, the Order of the Golden Law led a march from Stormwind to the tomb of Uther the Lightbringer in the ruins of Lordaeron, a tribute to those defenders of the Light who had passed on - an honorary ceremony in which Belathan would preach his last sermon. Though the Order would return south to Stormwind, Belathan would remain for several days to honor his old fallen friends in his own way, and then return to live out his last day in Northshire Valley where it all began - finally passing away peacefully in his sleep at the age of eighty eight. Surrounded by close friends as he passed, his last words were a prayer spoken by his old friend Alonsus Faol. Two nights before his passing he delivered a letter to the Order of the Golden Law - the final Order he served - and its members, which has been transcribed and preserved. Spirit of Northshire There are some claims of contact with Belathan after his passing - and though no physical proof can be offered, some have come to speculate that the Spirit made the choice to -not- pass on into the Spirit World, and instead remains behind as a spectral guide to those in need. How exactly to make contact with the Spirit of Northshire has still not been uncovered - and it appears as though it happens without instigation. The most frequent sightings of the roaming Spirit have been focused around Northshire Abbey, the Cathedral of Light in Stormwind and near the former Grand Hamlet area - but ceased during the Siege of Alterac, a war in which the Golden Law, alongside countless other orders, forged a crusade to lay waste to the undead armies being raised in the ruins of the kingdom. There, in the final days of the war, Belathan gave his last sacrifice, shedding his immortal nature as a spirit to serve as a guardian of the dead - to ensure that they remained at rest. Some months later, during another brief conflict involving the Golden Law, when a smaller legion of demons attempted to invade Azeroth through Gilneas, Belathan commanded the undead souls, the ones he had been charged with warding, to offer themselves as sacrifices - forging their restless souls into a gauntlet to be used against the demons. When the final battle of the war took place, and the gauntlet was used to sear closed the demonic portals, the spirits of the dead were destroyed, finally and forever, though one single soul was spared oblivion; Belathan was returned. Resurrection At the final battle in Gilneas, as the gauntlet was shattered and the portal closed, a figure emerged from the chaos, seemingly untouched by the war; Belathan. The man appeared much like he had in his later life - old, weak and frail - though with a bit more life to him. His cough have vanished and he was able to stand a bit straighter, but it was clear that he was still well aged. Granted a vision by the Light, the cleric was returned to the world of the living to spent another few years with his companions as a reward for his sacrifices. After his rebirth, the aged cleric made the decision to once more take up the colors of the Order of the Golden Law. Physical appearance Found most frequently in white and gold robes - his age would be printed in bold ink across his form, both in style and posture. Though he'd try to stand up as straight as possible, due to injuries he would always walk with a hunched limp and stand with a bit of a tilt. His legs have gone weak and he uses his staff as a walking cane, something you'd find him often gripping onto just to stay upright. Though old and weak, physically, his spirit and has never been stronger - and his voice still commands attention - especially when scolding younger initiates. He cares little for -who- people are when they are making trouble, so watch out for a heavy 'thwap' from his staff. His face would be a rugged map of wrinkles, each one detailing a part of his long life. His eyes are greyed and misty. The easiest face to compare him to would be a much much older version of famous actor Tommy Lee Jones. Personality and traits Notes and references Category:Characters Category:Alliance Priest Category:Human Category:2016